Classic Films


Feature Writer: Barry M. Grey
Barry M. Grey, photo by the lovely Ann L. Warren

What is a Classic Film?

Sure, it's a catch-all term these days, but true movie fans know what it really refers to: that perfect and prolific period from The Jazz Singer to A Hard Day's Night, from All Quiet On The Western Front to All About Eve, from Frankenstein to From Here To Eternity.

Relive the Studio Era -- film noir, westerns, gangster pictures, melodramas and comedies -- through profiles, book reviews, DVD news and more. If you know the color of Harpo Marx's first wig, if you can name the last film John Ford shot in Monument Valley, if you went all tingly when Warner Bros released its gangster collection on DVD, then by all means, line up behind the velvet rope.

Check out my articles, blog and post in the discussions or email me with your own golden oldies.

feature articles
Barry M. Grey

Scorsese's Raging Bull a Classic Redemption Tale

In: Classic Film Dramas

From the moment it premiered in 1980, you knew Raging Bull was, thematically and visually, a film for the ages -- a rich tapestry of rage, relationships and redemption. more...

Charles Boyer Was Among Greatest Screen Lovers

In: Classic Films (general)

On film, debonair Charles Boyer was pure Continental romance and sophistication. But in a bittersweet final act, this quiet Frenchman proved himself a real-life romantic. more...

Barbara Stanwyck Among Finest Film Actors Ever

In: Classic Films (general)

She never won a competitive Oscar, but Barbara Stanwyck remains among Hollywood's most loved and admired film actors, thanks to an astonishingly diverse filmography. more...

Forbidden Planet a Groundbreaking Sci-Fi Classic

In: Classic Films (general)

Forbidden Planet is among the most fondly-remembered space epics of the 1950s. It's a psychological "space western" with all the elements of today's popcorn blockbusters. more...

DVD Review: Columbia Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1

In: Film Noir

This handsome, comprehensive package offers superior special features, including observations by noir experts Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, James Ellroy and Eddie Muller more...

The Narrow Margin Packs a Wide Wallop

In: Film Noir

It was supposed to be a simple B-movie, made on the cheap and destined for the bottom of a double bill. But The Narrow Margin turned out to be a taut film noir classic. more...

Jean Arthur - A Squeaky Voice For the Ages

In: Classic Films (general)

A top star of the 1930s and '40s, Jean Arthur was a bundle of contradictions. Shy and self-conscious, she nonetheless crafted a unique persona that charmed audiences. more...

Joseph Cotten a Versatile Star of 40s Classics

In: Classic Films (general)

His name was Cotten. But this Virginian, son of an assistant postmaster, was no lightweight. Joseph Cotten proved himself a versatile actor in 75 movies over 40 years. more...

All feature articles in Classic Films

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